Centrifugal pump



March 19.54 H. M. MONTGOMERY CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Filed Aug. 16, 1950 INVENTOR. HOEA c5 M- MONTGOMERY ZITTOPNEYS Patented Mar. 23, 1954 CENTRIFUGAL :PUMP

Horace M. Montgomery, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to G rman-Rum) Industries, Inc, Bellville, Qhio, a corp ration of Ohio Application August 16, 1950, Serial No. 179,786

8 Claims. 1

invention relates generally to centrifugal umps and particularly to a new pump which consists of but a few, simple parts, which is re? ist-ant to c r os on and abrasion and which is Stilt-descaling and self-cleaning.

"lhere has long existed a demand in certain industries, particularly the washing machine industry, for a small centri u l pump wh c c u b made e p nsiv ly f om a few, simple pa an which w ul be res stant t liquids passin through it a d which w uld rid its lf of soli depositin thereon out-oi u h quids. Althou h many eff ts av been m e t sa i y s deman no one, s far a .I k h s d vis d a Pump which wo d meet this demand- The present invention 9lves this long standing problem. An e bodiment o t s invention pris s a fl xible mpe l h usin which can fle during the pumping action and another embodiinept adds thereto a liner for the cooperating housing par a d a o, serves as a asket and add ti nal may s ve a a sh al- The present invention will be better understood by th i led n t e a om a cons d- .eration of the following description and the ac company ne drawin i w ich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in centra sec on f ne form of pump'embo y le the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a par ly secti nal, p sp t ve View o the diaphra m of t P p Of is- Fig. ,3 is a partly sectional, side, .elevational view of a modified form of the main body part ot a pump embodying the present invention; and

Fig, 4; is a centraltsectional, fragmentary view or a mod fi d orm o pump- In Fig. 1 the pump is shown as comprising a main housing or body I, a housing closure 2, a diaphragm .3, a reinforcing ring 4, an impeller shaft and an impeller 6.

The main housing part I is generally tubular and includes a cylindrical wall Hi from which a discharge tube ll extends tangentially, and an intake end 12 provided with a central tube l3 through which liquid may enter the impeller chamber which is within the confines of cylindrical wall i ll.

The end closure .2 comprises a disk 14 and a centrally disposed outwardly projecting tube 15 attached thereto through which the impeller shaft 5 extends, the impeller 6 being mounted. on shaft 5 in the impeller chamber. Near its outer periphery disk I4 is formed with a right angled reces o receive the ed e p rtion of d aphra m 3 and the open end of wall 10- .A is bette shown in Fig. 2, the diaphragm 3 has a peripheral por tion extending at substantially right angles to flange 2 I, the latter being disposed at right angles and attached to the central part 22 of the dia phragm. The axial portion of diaphragm 3 in.- cludes a tubular part 23 projecting outwardly parallel to flange 2i and an end wall 24 provided with oppositely extending and tapering annular lips 25 to fit closely around the impeller shaft 5 for a purpose presently to be described.

The right angle portions 2 3 and 21 ofthe diaphragm 3 fit snugly in the right angled recess in the outer portion of disk [4 and the open end of main body it and the outwardly extending annular flange thereof are suitably dimensioned to fit closely against diaphragm walls 20 and M, as is better shown in Fig. 1,. The ring 4 is preferably seated in an annular, shallow notch 13! in tubular wall ill and is clamped against the flange 33 of part I and holds the flange 39, part 20 of diaphragm 3 and disk :14 in assembled re lation when screws B2 or other suitable securing means are assembled therewith substantially as shown in Fi l.

The body I is preferably composed of rubber, or other elastomeric material which is resistant to corrosion and abrasion, and is sufficiently tie :ible, particularly in the tubular part 10 thereof, to flex under the impulses to which it subjected during the pumping action. As the impeller rotates, the pressure applied to the part Ml increases when an impeller blade approaches the outlet 11 and decreases when the blade passes beyond the outlet. This action is observable as a pulsation which causes the body It! to expand and contract to a certain extent. Due to this constant flexing, any solids which may deposit on the walls thereof from liquid standing in or passing therethrough will be dislodged so that this body I will be substantially self-descaling and self-cleaning.

The diaphragm 3 is preferably composed of thin rubber or rubber-like material which is resistant to corrosion and abrasion and which has a greater degree of resiliency and flexibility than thematerial of body 5. The sealing lips 25 which extend in opposite directions and surround and closely engage at their edges with the shaft '5 serve to seal the shaft against the flow of fluid along the shaft in either direction. Due to their flexibility, these lips maintain such sealing action even when the shaft is misaligned or rotates BC? centrically. The diaphragm 3 also serves as a liner for housing part 2 since it protects that member from contact with the materials being propelled through the pump. The diaphragm also serves as a gasket between members I and 2' and, due to the right angular configuration of its marginal portions 20 and 2! and the location of these parts between the correspondingly shaped and opposed portions of parts I and 2, the diaphragm tends to lie close against the surface of part 2 throughout its full extent. In other words, any tendency of the diaphragm to bulge and move away from contact with part 2 which might be induced by the clamping ring 4 is overcome by reason of the fact that the part of the gasket which is thereby placed under compression is removed from'the plane of the diaphragm part which serves as a liner. Any spreading or deformation of the portion 2i] of the diaphragm is confined to the angular recess on member 2 and is ineffective to cause distortion of part 22 of the diaphragm which is in contact with the liquid. Since the rubber of body part I is flexible and deformable, it may serve as a seal when clamped against the other body part 2 in the absence of the diaphragm.

Fig. 3 shows a modification of the main housing part i of Fig. 1, the modification residing mainly in the manner of uniting the clamping ring and the main housing part. In this figure, 40 designates the main housing with a tangential tubular outlet 4!, an axial inlet tube 62 and an open end 43 to be closed, as by the part 2, and diaphragm 3 of Figs. 1 and 2. Instead of the loose or separate clamping ring t of Fig. l, a ring 44 is shown as being embedded in member 30 near its open end. As will be understood, ring 4:!- is molded in place during the molding of part I.

Screws 32, or other suitable securing means, are used to hold parts All and 2 in assembled relation.

Fig. 4 shows a pump quite like that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 but differs therefrom primarily in the manner of supporting and sealing the shaft.

In this device the main housing part G is quite like part I of Fig. 1. Housing part 5| differs from corresponding part 2 of Fig. 1 in having axially spaced, inwardly extending, annular flanges 52 and 5t. 55 which has a bearing in flange 53 and extends through a sleeve 56 which has a close fit in the central opening of flange 52. The end of sleeve 56 within the impeller chamber is notched to bear against the inner surface of diaphragm 51 and press it against the inner face of member 5|, thereby to seal against ingress of liquid be-- tween the diaphragm and part 5!. At its outer end sleeve 52 bears against a ring 53 which carries a packing ring 59 to bear against and seal shaft 55 against flow of liquid therealong in either direction. A spring 60 surrounding shaft 55 and bearing at one end against a shoulder thereof and against ring 58 at the other end tends to maintain the parts in assembled position. It will be noted that there is a small clearance between the shaft EI and the sleeve 56 through which it passes. However, liquid may not pass through this space beyond ring 58 because of the sealing ring 59. In case of extreme whip or vibration of shaft 55, the sleeve 56 may also serve as a bearing to limit such extreme action.

Having thus described the present invention so that others skilled in the art may be able to understand and practice the same, I state that what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is defined in what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A centrifugal pump comprising a two part body'defining an impeller chamber, an impeller The impeller 5 is carried by a shaft in said chamber and a shaft attached to the impeller and extending out of said chamber, one of said body members being cup-shaped and having inlet and outlet openings, the walls of said body consisting of self-supporting elastomeric material capable of flexing inwardly and outwardly relative to their normal position under forces created during pumping action, and means securing said body parts in assembled position.

2. A centrifugal pump comprising a two part body defining an impeller chamber, an impeller in said chamber and a shaft attached to the impeller and extending out of said chamber, one of said body members being cup-shaped and having inlet and outlet openings, the Walls of said body consisting of self-supporting elastomeric materia1 capable of flexing inwardly and outwardly relative to their normal position under forces created during pumping action, said body member having an open end, a rigid member embedded in said member adjacent to said open end, and means securing the annulus and adjacent portions of said body parts and said rigid member together with fluid sealing pressure.

3. A centrifugal pump comprising a two part body defining an impeller chamber, an impeller in said chamber, one of said body members being cup-shaped and having inlet and outlet openings, the walls of said body consisting of self-supporting elastomeric material capable of flexing inwardly and outwardly relative to their normal position under forces created during pumping action, a diaphragm composed of resilient material and disposed at the open end of said cupf shaped member, the other body member being dish-shaped and bearing against'the outer side of the diaphragm, means securing the members and diaphragm together at their peripheries with fluid sealing contact, a shaft extending through said disk-shaped member and diaphragm and connected to said impeller, and means about the shaft for sealing against flow of liquid lengthwise thereof.

4. A centrifugal pump comprising a two part body defining an impeller chamber, an impeller in said chamber, one of said body members being cup-shaped and having inlet and outlet openings, the walls of said body consisting of self-supporting elastomeric material capable of flexing inwardly and outwardly relative to their normal position under forces created during pumping action, a diaphragm composed of resilient material and disposed at the open end of said cup-shaped member, the other body member being diskshaped and bearing against the outer side of the diaphragm, means securing the members and diaphragm together at their peripheries with fluid sealing contact, a shaft extending through said disk-shaped member and diaphragm and connected to said impeller, and means about the shaft for sealing against flow of liquidlengthwise thereof, said shaft sealing means including an integral flexible portion of said diaphragm surrounding and engaging the shaft.

5. A centrifugal pump comprising a two part body defining an impeller chamber, an impeller in said chamber, one of said body members being cup-shaped and having inlet and outlet openings, the walls of said body consisting of self-supporting elastomeric material capable of flexing in-, wardly and outwardly relative to their normal position under forces created during pumping action, a diaphragm composed of resilient material and disposed at the open end of said cupshaped member, the other body member being disk-shaped and bearing against the outer side of the diaphragm, means securing the members and diaphragm together at their peripheries with fluid sealing contact, a shaft extending through said disk-shaped member and diaphragm and connected to said impeller, and means about the shaft for sealing against flow of liquid lengthwise thereof, said shaft sealing means including a flexible portion of said diaphragm having oppositely extending conical shaft-engaging lips.

6. A centrifugal pump comprising a, two part body defining an impeller chamber, an impeller in said chamber, one of said body members being cup-shaped and having inlet and outlet openings, the walls of said body consisting of self-supporting elastomeric material capable of flexing inwardly and outwardly relative to their normal position under forces created during pumping action, a diaphragm composed of resilient material and disposed at the open end of said cup-shaped member, the other body member being diskshaped and bearing against the outer side of the diaphragm, means securing the members and diaphragm together at their peripheries with fluid sealing contact, a shaft extending through said disk-shaped member and diaphragm and connected to said impeller, and means about the shaft for sealing against flow of liquid length- Wise thereof, said shaft sealing means including a shaft-receiving sleeve extending through said diaphragm and fitting closely in said Other body member, and fluid-sea1ing means around the shaft in said sleeve.

7. A centrifugal pump comprising a two part body defining an impeller chamber, an impeller in said chamber, one of said body members having an end wall provided with a central inlet, an annular side wall provided with an outlet and an open end opposed to said end wall, said walls consisting of self-supporting elastomeric material capable of flexing inwardly and outwardly relative to their normal position under forces created during pumping action, the other body member being disk-shaped and disposed in the open end of the first said member, and a shaft extending through said disk-shaped member and being connected to said impeller.

8. A centrifugal pump comprising a two part body defining an impeller chamber, an impeller in said chamber, one of said members being cupshaped and having end and side walls composed of self-supporting elastomeric material capable of flexing inwardly and outwardly relative to their normal position under pumping forces, the other of said members being disk-shaped, disposed at the open end of said cup-shaped member, and having an axial recess, a diaphragm secured at its periphery between said members and having an axial portion disposed in and supported by the walls of said recess, said axial portion having oppositely extending, integral, conical parts terminating in annular free ends, and a shaft connected to said impeller, extending through conical parts and being sealed by said free ends against flow of liquid along said shaft.

HORACE M. MONTGOMERY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

